From October 25th to November 1st, the tenth anniversary of the Traditional Costa Rican Masquerade Festival will be held in Cartago, where you can see the “meeting of the giants,” costumes, and other popular traditions.

The coordinator of the event is the Colegio Universitario de Cartago where the event will be held. Visitors can attend conferences, round table discussions, displays, workshops, special recognition of the masquerade artisans, among other events.

Representatives from Spain, Panama, Nicaragua, as well as from each province in Costa Rica will join in the festivities.

It is hoped that the gathering will encourage cultural efforts that strengthen the effort and interconnectedness of the participants.

For more information and details on the festivities, visit http://www.cartagovirtual.com/mascaradas

You may also call (506) 2551-6892 and 2591-3363. Email: arte.cuc@hotmail.com and educa_cultura@hotmail.com

The first International Conference for People, Planet, Peace Costa Rica, 2009, will take place at the Ramada Hotel Herradura, San José, from the 26th to the 29th of October. It will give Costa Rica a chance to show its leadership as one of the most advanced sustainable tourism destinations, not only at the regional level, but also at the international level, acting as a example for all countries that would like to implement a genuine tourism model that drives sustainable tourism.

For the first time, Costa Rica will present its many policies and achievements on sustainability. It will be host to experienced representatives of the international community that will debate the future of sustainable tourism.

This forum will bring together national and international leaders in responsible tourism to share strategies, good practices, challenges, and opportunities for the tourism industry based on real experiences and the history of Costa Rica.
The conference will focus on conservation, environmental management, carbon neutral destinations, local cultural preservation, construction and developmental strategies, water issues, social responsibilities, and future tendencies. Governmental, corporate, and non-governmental organizations, must understand that wary tourists are consistently choosing tourist destinations that implement sustainable practices.

For more information, call 2222-2022. Web page: www.planetpeoplepeace.com Email: info@planetpeoplepeace.com

On the 6 and 7th of October the first National Restaurant Congress will be held at Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura.

The event will cover restaurant technologies, better human resource practices, management leadership, accounting practices and fiscal management, the Restaurant of 2015, using the Internet as an instrument for marketing, strategic relationships with suppliers, future consumer tendencies, and tip vs. salary compensation.

It will also include the topic of the Regulatory Law on Alcoholic Beverage Sales and Consumption, along with the New Regulation on the Health Law and its Implications.

Organizers: Cacore and Grupo HRS. Telephones 2222-2579 and 2234-6850. Email: congreso@cacorestaurantes.com and info@cacorestaurantes.com Web page: www.cacorestaurantes.com

More than 100 tourism exhibitors from the 5 Pacific regions will be waiting for you September 24-26 at the Central Pacific Travel Market.

Event Coordinator, Manuel Antonio Group. Special rates for Travel Agents.

For more information call 8361- 3444 or 2777-3822.

• Chefs will compete the 24th and 25th of August in the Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura finals competition.

Company organizer Representatives of the Culinary Masters competition, Florida Bebidas, Equipos Nietos and Unilever Food Solutions, along with Ireth Rodríguez, chief of the Costa Rica Tourism Board Marketing (ICT), announced this past Tuesday, June 30th at the ICT auditorium, the 16 finalists for the Culinary Masters competition.

The grand finale will take place the 24th and 25th (Monday and Tuesday)) of August at the Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura Convention center. Some of the required dishes will be Angus tenderloin (Imported from Chicago by Delika) from Linz Meats, fresh palm heart as the vegetable, pejibaye as the starch, and a Knorr product (Unilever), created specifically for the gastronomy industry.

The 2008-2009 Culinary Masters competition will cover various events in order to bring together renowned hotel and restaurant chefs from around the country. The goal is to also bolster the gastronomy culture in the country and attract international attention as another reason for tourists to visit the country.

The finalists are:

Anthony Villalobos Hotel Borinquen
Bryan Marchena Hotel Four Seasons
Carlos Jiménez Double Tree Cariari by Hilton
Cesar Rodríguez Hacienda Guachipelín
Diego Ortiz Hotel Four Seasons
Gabriel Sirias Hotel Tilajari
Hernán Díaz Hotel Costa Rica Marriott
Javier Ortiz Hotel Presidente
Jefrey Torres Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura
Jose Carlos Chacón Hotel Villa Blanca
Jose Pablo Martínez Hotel Costa Rica Marriott
Julio Alpízar La Nova Stela
Manuel Tuz Hotel Tilajari
Michael Rodríguez Hotel Four Seasons
Pablo Brenes Hotel Four Seasons
Yanán Ávila Hotel Four Seasons

ONE OF A KIND. Organized by Florida Bebidas, Equipos Nieto and Unilever Food Solutions, this not-for-profit event is the first of its kind in the country. It is backed by the Costa Rica Tourism Board and the National Learning Institute. It also has support from the National Chef Association, the Costa Rica Hotel Chamber, the Costa Rica Restaurant Chamber, and Interamericana University.

The Culinary Masters is also sponsored by Delika: it is also co-sponsored by Café Britt and Ramada Plaza Herradura.

For more information, you may go to the website www.maestroculinario.cr. You may also call Grupo HRS Consultores Hoteleros at 2234-6850, Monday to Friday from 8:00 am. to 5:00 pm. or write asistente@grupohrs.com.

From June 19th to the 21st, Turrialba will be the stage for the Turrialba Expo 2009, where guests will be able to travel around and familiarize themselves with its tourist points.

The event is organized by the Turrialba Chamber of Tourism (CATUR).

The overall objective is to show the diversity of services and attractions that exists in Turrialba to the national tourism industry, travel agencies, and primary tour operators.

It will offer a Marketing and Tourist Promotion Exchange, tours, and inspection routes, all under a fresh and attractive approach.

Turrialba Expo 2009 will have the first Turrialba Rural Tourism Expo Fair, in addition to the Green Expo Show as part of the innovative event.

“The people of Turrialba want to demonstrate to the whole country that there are many options for developing tourism in this beautiful part of Cartago”, said Massi Devoto, President of the Turrialba Chamber of Tourism.

Devoto added that “Turrialba is well known for adventure sports; rafting is one of the signature attractions of our region, but apart from that, we also have mountain biking, the Cheese Fair, canopy, coffee, macadamia, and sugar cane tours, as well as trips to Guayabo and the Turrialba volcano, among others.”

The National Guayabo Monument is one of the largest and most important archeological areas that has been uncovered in the country.

The event is not open to the general public. This is its third year.

For more information visit: www.visiteturrialba.com

Many years ago a few farmers from Parrita began with the practice of mule races nearby Esterillos Beach in the Mid Pacific. The hobby that started out as way of having fun has become one of Parrita’s most popular traditions.

The Asociación para el Bienestar Parriteño (ASOBIPA) [Parrita’s Welfare Association], has devoted itself to consolidating this tradition, reinforcing the festival with the two-horse races and tractor rally. It is expected to have one of the most colorful festivals taking place within the last years carried out in 2008, hoping to receive national and international tourists so they can get to know one of the funniest races carried out in Costa Rica.

Activities will begin on February 05 to february 15 with the awaited Mule Race. In addition everyday there will be: livestock and agricultural machinery show, craft sale, ‘corridas de toros’, typical food, karaoke, dances, and the atmosphere of the “ La Mulita Alegre” bar.

For further information, telephone: 2779-8245 or e-mail: festivalmulas@yahoo.com.mx

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